First Date
by Vixin2
Summary: To make up for Monte d'Or, Descole wanted to take Elaine on a small date to make up for it. But things can never just be straight foreword. Some AL spoilers. Rated T just in case. Descole/Elaine (OC) fluff.


Descole never liked the idea of being nervous. Nervousness meant uncertainty and that possible led to something being wrong (either a little or entirely), and then it all ended in failure. When was the last time he felt nervous? Probably when his father, Bronev, came into his home and stole his daughter Johanna from him. The time before that, the custody battle between himself and his late wife's parents for Johanna, and a few months before that then was Lucy was going into labour.

The earliest he could remember having been nervous was when he was a little boy and trying (successfully, he may add) to pass his younger brother off as himself to adoptive parents. Apart from the times already mentioned, he doubted there was any other time he was nervous.

Well, that would be a lie. He did feel a tad nervous on his wedding day, though he certainly had no cold feet. But he was too stubborn to ever admit it.

Then, there was the first date. Granted, he did manage to woo Lucy, but he had still been anxious about it. After that date passed and they became a couple, he was certain he would never have to be in such a scenario ever again.

Then, Elaine came into the picture.

He didn't understand how it happened. Heck, the Frenchwoman didn't either. But somehow, despite kidnapping her twice and forcing her to work for him and admitably causing a small degree of harm by pulling her hair and choking her, Descole had grown attracted to the stubborn woman in a romantic sense. She was just supposed to be a kidnap victim, but apparently fate decided to mess with him as usual. Maybe, just not as harshly this time.

Since Elaine somehow managed to return his feelings, and he needed to do something to make up for Monte d'Or (honestly, you would think Elaine would get over him kidnapping her cousin Madeline and forcing her to take her place already. It happened, and he couldn't change it. But NOOoooo…) to try and pick up his spirits, he thought it would be a good opportunity to actually do a date between the two of them.

Unfortunately, public places were out since it didn't really feel too appropriate to be wearing a disguise (his 'Descole attire' being a great exception of course) on a date, and he was wanted by police for crimes like destruction of public property (or parts of a town if you wish to be more specific, and an island. And did nearly burying a town in sand count as destruction of property?), lots of kidnapping (Elaine had said he was trying to break some sort of kidnapping record, but Descole couldn't tell if she was joking or not), blackmail and other such crimes that Descole felt he was too much above to be arrested for. Plus Elaine probably wouldn't appreciate being forced to disguise herself on a date with him, and he didn't want to risk someone recognising her.

So, he decided to go for a simpler route. A picnic in the woods seemed like a good idea at first. After all, it could still be considered romantic with the right weather. Plus, he was sure he could charm Elaine easily. Most women loved the outdoors, especially when there were cute animals.

Although, to be honest he couldn't remember the last time he charmed (or to put in layman's terms, flirted with) a lady other than Lucy. That part might actually be a bit more problematic.

"Fine weather today, isn't it?" Descole remarked after five minutes of the two of them being here. While he was wearing his normal clothes (minus the cloak which was on the ground), he had given Elaine a simple white summer dress that was knee length with spaghetti straps that he thought would look lovely on her. She certainly did, especially with her light brown hair tied in a low, side ponytail. Why, he might even dare to use the word beautiful. And it wasn't a word he used too often since he felt an excessive and gratuitous use made the word, and the object it was directed towards, become plain. And Elaine was certainly not that.

It still didn't make up for the awkward feeling that was surrounding them as they sat on the blanket.

"Erm, oui. It is," Elaine agreed. She… Well, Descole didn't think she looked uncomfortable, but it would be obvious to everyone that this date wasn't exactly the most natural thing for either of them to be doing together. If anything, the most normal way they interacted was normally… filled with annoyance and spite.

"So, have you ever been on a picnic before?" Descole asked, in a semi-desperate attempt to make conversation outside of work as he searched the picnic basket for their wine bottle.

"A few times with ma famille," Elaine answered. "One time on a date in college."

Descole scowled mentally. He had some hope this would have been fairly unique experience for Elaine in some way. A picnic with family? Understandable enough. Not an uncommon thing. He did it himself with Johanna when she was four. He could remember a few times having done it with his adoptive parents and while he couldn't recall all memories from the time before his brother's birth, he could recall going on a picnic with his parents while his mother was pregnant. It was autumn if Descole remembered correctly.

A romantic relationship? If there was one thing most people could think of when it came to Descole, was that he was a proud man. So knowing Elaine did have a picnic date with a previous love interest caused a small blow to it. Mainly because it was a first date and it wasn't as unique as Descole had hoped it to be. In his mind at least.

But, Elaine did seem to like this. Or at least, didn't have any complaints. If this didn't turn out too well, the most he would like would for Elaine to at least not have any complaints.

Reaching down to the available snacks, Descole had picked up a crêpe Raymond had helped make (and by 'helped', Descole meant, 'did by himself since having Elaine even help would kinda ruin the date a little since it was meant to be a surprise, and Descole wasn't really cook material), and took a bite from it.

"That was mine."

Descole looked up. Elaine looked at him with a blank, emotionless expression. Glancing down, he saw her hand frozen in place where she had been reaching out for the crêpe he had taken.

"That was my crêpe," she repeated.

"… Just pick one of the others."

"That was mine. I was reaching out for it."

Alright, Descole was certain Elaine was just doing this to annoy him. Even if she was glaring at him.

"Well, it's mine now. I just took a bite from it." Descole couldn't stop the slight sneer in his tone." What do you think you can do about it?"

Elaine only lacked a response for a moment. But after that, she reacted quickly. Tackling him to the ground was certainly not what Descole had anticipated. Neither had he imagined that Elaine would grip his wrist with both hands and pull it towards her, mouth open and ready to bite on the crêpe in his hand.

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

"Getting my crêpe!"

"But it's already bitten into!"

"Consider it an indirect kiss then! Just give it to me!"

Well, Descole didn't think Elaine could be so childish. And while he knew she did kickboxing in college, he didn't think that she could kick so hard. Or punch. His stomach still hurt from that surprisingly. Though he doubted he would bruise.

He hoped that was the case. It would be a blow to his pride if proven otherwise.

"You should have just given me the crêpe." Descole glared at Elaine as she nibbled on a small cake.

"It was mine. I told you," Elaine stated, in a manner that suggested that this was an everyday conversation. Looking down, a smile came to her lips with awe in her eyes.

"Aw, it's a cute little squirrel."

Descole looked down to see a grey squirrel that had been brave enough to come to their picnic blanket. It stared at them, flickering back and forth between Descole and Elaine for a moment before keeping still. Personally, Descole never really saw them as 'cute', like some people. As far as he was concerned, they were just members of the rodent family that were more likable then rats and mice, that had a tail bigger then its body. At least squirrels were more likely to be associated with nuts rather than disease.

But, if the creature had approached them, it might have been hungry. While he couldn't say it was enough to make him pity the creature, Descole figured Elaine would appreciate him giving him some food.

"Hungry?" the masked man asked the creature, much to Elaine's surprise, as he picked up a plain muffin and broke off a little bit of it, crumbling it into smaller bits as well. He wasn't certain if it was wise to feed the crumbs to a squirrel. But he doubted giving him just a few crumbs this one time would do any permanent harm.

Descole forced out a small smile as he held his hand out. He truly felt a bit indifferent to this, but it could show Elaine that he wasn't as much of a… 'bad guy' (if that wasn't an understatement of the century).

The squirrel had another things in mind.

Perhaps it was true that animals had an ability to sense certain things. In this case, people who were far from innocent.

That was the only explanation possible for why the squirrel had seen it necessary to bite down on his sleeve. Reacting only out of human instinct, Descole and sharply moved his hand back, but that only resulted in the squirrel managing to crawl under his sleeve, and into his shirt.

"Get out, NOW!" Descole was quicker getting on his feet then one would have imagined, and began doing the 'Get-this-damn-rodent-squirrel-out-my-clothes-immediately' dance. Elaine only watched with mixed emotions. Her mind yelling at her to get moving and help Descole. But yet her body wouldn't move, and even felt amused by Descole's predicament.

It reminded her a little of a nightmare she had one time. She was back in her college years, and in the house she had stayed in during that period. Except all her roommates were boys. Now, while that wasn't so bad since they were pretty handsome, for some reason, she had been walking around naked, with only her arm lazily in front of her bare breasts to cover them. Her mind then had screamed to get some damn clothes on, but for some reason, her body ignored this command, and casually talked with the boys as if she wasn't playing nudist.

It was during this trip down memory-dream lane of Elaine's that Descole had continued his 'dance' away from the picnic. Now, while he was normally able to pay attention to his surroundings, it should be noted that despite this, and his intelligence, his wrath did tend to blind him to what was happening around him. The incident on Ambrosia was perhaps the best example. And seeing how easily the squirrel was angering him (or at least frustrating him), it shouldn't have cine as much of a surprise when he unknowingly came closer and closer to a-

_SPLASH!_

-river.

Fortunately, only in the more shallow end. But it was enough to soak the scientist, as the cruel rodent ran off.

By then, Elaine had finally come to Descole's… Well, at that stage, rescue couldn't exactly be the right word to use.

Descole's hat had fallen onto the grass before he fell in the water, showing some of his brown hair. Brown hair that had some algae from the shallow water stuck in it now. His mask had remained, though Elaine wasn't sure if that protected the skin and eyes underneath it from the water given how soaked he was.

It was a funny sight though.

"Hehaha... Hehaha…"

It had started lightly at first, but seeing how Descole looked… Elaine's laughter just grew louder. Descole had been a little startled by the laughter at first, but he was quick to defend his dented pride.

"Stop laughing!" Descole snarled, soon realising that Elaine was laughing at him. He clenched his fists when she didn't, and was about to snap again but stopped.

She was actually laughing. Had she ever laughed anywhere near him when they first met? No, actually. He was a bit surprised how he had only noticed that now.

When was the last time he heard laughter like that? Lucy? Johanna? Raymond usually just gave small chuckles.

Hearing Elaine laugh for the first time, even if it was at his expense, reminded Descole of the first time he heard Johanna laugh. After leaving the courthouse after winning custody of her from his late Lucy's parents. He had just casually poked her belly to tickle her when the then baby Johanna started to giggle.

While Elaine's laughter didn't warm his heart the same way his daughter's had, he still felt… something, from it. Something he liked.

Seeing her laugh for the first time since they met, for the first time since they had started their… strange relationship. It gave him some hope for that relationship. Maybe it would take time, but it could work. It could.

Descole sighed and held a hand up, putting on a face lacking his emotions.

"Could you assist me up?"

Elaine looked at his hand, and down to the water.

"… I'm shocked that you think I would give you a chance to pull me into the water."

Damn it, she saw through it!

"And I'm wearing a white dress. I didn't think you were a pervert," Elaine scoffed as she folded her arms.

"What?!" Where did that come from?! Descole looked at Elaine's dress and mentally face palmed. White clothing plus water did equal something that would make a pervert quite pleased.

Not exactly an image of himself he was intending to show.

Descole grumbled as he stood, water sloshing around him.

"Well, you did seem to be trying to be similar to Phantom of the Opera," Elaine mused. "Perhaps with that water on you, we could say you were rein acting the scene where he and Raoul fight in the water of 'is lair."

"We would need you to be more like Christine then," he countered back dryly. Elaine glared back, and countered the only way fitting.

She shoved him to push him back into the water, and while he didn't intend to, Descole ended up grabbing Elaine to try and keep balance, only to pull her with him into the water with a splash.

And Elaine's lips pressing against his, causing him to gape in shock, and Elaine to become flustered a unsure what to do after she had quickly moved away, though they stayed close for a few minutes.

After that, a rather immature, childish splash fight commenced.

Descole would never be quite sure how on earth that had happened.

* * *

><p><strong>Well... I finally got around to getting this done. Hope it was worth the wait :3<strong>


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